City of Woburn Municipal Election 2021 - Candidate Information Guide "Don't Just Stand There - Run! Local Edition"
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2021
City of Woburn
Municipal Election
Candidate Information Guide
“Don’t Just Stand There – Run! Local Edition”
William C. Campbell, CMC
City Clerk
Office: _______________________
City of Woburn, Massachusetts
OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
City Hall
10 Common Street
WILLIAM C. CAMPBELL, CMC Woburn, MA 01801
City Clerk
781-897-5850
May 3, 2021
To: Candidates for Municipal Office
Re: 2021 Municipal Election
Dear Candidate:
Congratulations on your decision to run for municipal office this year. In order to assist
you in fulfilling your legal obligations as a candidate, the following information has been
compiled for your review and information. It includes useful information concerning
important election deadlines, nomination papers, election signs, absentee ballots, public
employees and campaigns, and campaign finance laws. There are also references to
internet sites that can provide you with additional information.
Today you have received the maximum amount of nomination papers that this
office can issue to you for the office that you have declared your intention to seek. A
sufficient number of signatures must be filed in this office no later than Tuesday, July
27, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. The Office of the City Clerk will be open until 5:00 p.m. on that
day for the purpose of receiving nomination papers.
If you have any questions, please feel free to visit or call this office at any time. Please
accept the best wishes of the Board of Registrars of Voters and the Office of the City
Clerk as you begin your campaign for public office.
Very truly yours,
William C. Campbell
City ClerkOffice of the City Clerk
Woburn, Massachusetts
2021 MUNICIPAL ELECTION CALENDAR
May 3, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. Nomination papers available for candidates. Nomination
papers can only be furnished to candidate or individual
authorized in writing by candidate to obtain papers on
candidate’s behalf. Candidate shall file statement containing
candidate’s name, address and office for which he/she will be
a candidate before obtaining nomination papers. Statement
available at Office of City Clerk.
July 23, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. Last date and time to obtain nomination papers.
July 27, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. Last date and time to file nomination papers with Board of
Registrars for certification of signatures.
August 10, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. Last date and time for Board of Registrars to file nomination
papers with City Clerk. Last date and time for candidate to file
Statement of Candidacy with City Clerk. Statement of
Candidacy is affixed to nomination papers.
August 12, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. Last date and time to file objections and/or withdrawal of
nomination papers.
August 12, 2021 at 5:01 p.m. Drawing by City Clerk for candidate’s position on preliminary
ballot if sufficient number of candidates to warrant
preliminary election. Drawing to be held in Office of City
Clerk. Post in City Hall names and residences of candidates as
they are to appear on ballot.
August 25, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. Last date and time to register to vote in Preliminary Election.
September 7, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. Last date and time for all candidates on Preliminary Election
ballot to file pre-preliminary Campaign Finance Reports with
City Clerk.
September 8, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. Last date and time to request absentee ballot by mail for the
Preliminary Election.
September 13, 2021 at 12:00 noon Last date and time to file application in-person in the office of
the City Clerk for absentee ballot for Preliminary Election.Tuesday, September 14, 2021 Preliminary Election – Polls open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
September 20, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. Last date and time to file recount petition or withdraw from
nomination and for filing written acceptance by a write-in or
sticker candidate who won in a write-in campaign in the
Preliminary Election).
October 13, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. Last date and time to register to vote in Municipal Election.
October 25, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. Last date and time for all candidates to file pre-election
Campaign Finance Reports with City Clerk.
October 27, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. Last date and time to request absentee ballot by mail for
Municipal Election.
November 1, 2021 at 12:00 noon Last date and time to file application in-person in the office of
the City Clerk for absentee ballot for Municipal Election.
Tuesday, November 2, 2021 Municipal Election – Polls open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
November 12, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. Last date and time to file a recount petition.
January 20, 2022 at 4:30 p.m. Last date and time for all candidates, incumbents and past
candidates with outstanding balance or liabilities to file year-
end Campaign Finance Reports with City Clerk.
(Issued February 4, 2021) William C. Campbell, City ClerkNomination Papers This is intended to provide clarification of the process for obtaining and filing papers for nomination to office in a City of Woburn Municipal Election. Section 9A of Chapter 53 of the General Laws provides a process for obtaining nomination papers and limiting the number of nomination papers to be issued. The Act was accepted by the City Council on June 6, 1963 and was effective on June 20, 1963. The Section states in part that “Each candidate shall file with the city or town clerk, prior to obtaining blank nomination papers, a statement containing his name and address, and the city or town office for which he intends to be a candidate.” The Office of the City Clerk has a form for use by candidates in order to comply with the State law. Further the Section provides that “No candidate for city or town office shall receive more blank nomination papers than will contain the number of signatures required to place his name in nomination, multiplied by five.” Nomination for the office of Mayor requires 100 certified signatures of registered voters qualified to vote for the office, School Committee and Alderman At Large offices require 50 certified signatures and Ward Alderman offices require 10 certified signatures. This office can issue no more than 34 nomination papers for candidates for Mayor, no more than 17 nomination papers for candidates for Alderman At Large and School Committee and no more than 4 nomination papers for Ward Alderman. The signatures for Mayor, School Committee and Alderman At Large can be obtained city-wide. The signatures for Ward Alderman offices must be obtained from voters resident within the respective ward. Since this is a non-partisan election, a voter’s party affiliation will not prevent the voter from signing nomination papers for a candidate. The Board of Registrars are not required to certify signatures greater than the amount needed to make a nomination increased by one-fifth. Therefore, the Board of Registrars are not required to certify more than 120 signatures for a candidate for the office of Mayor, 60 signatures for a candidate for the office of School Committee or Alderman At Large, and 12 signatures for a candidate for the office of Ward Alderman. The Board of Registrars will not accept any additional nomination papers once the required number of signatures have been filed and certified.
Political Signs The following is an extract from the 1989 Woburn Municipal Code, as amended: Title 9, Article III, Section 9-17(B) Political Signs 1. Definition - A political sign is a sign designed, used or intended to induce voters to vote for either the passage or defeat of a measure appearing on the ballot of any election, or for either the election or defeat of a candidate for nomination or election to any public office in any election, and includes without limitation banners, campaign signs, posted handbills and notices of any kind. 2. Time limitations - Political signs may be displayed in connection with an election beginning no earlier than thirty days prior to the primary or preliminary election and continuing up to five days after the date of the election. If election signs pertain not only to a primary or preliminary election but also to a succeeding general election, they may be displayed until the general election and shall be removed within five days after the date of the general election. 3. Signs on private property - Political signs erected on private property shall be no larger than four (4) square feet in area. No person shall erect or display, or cause or authorize any person to erect or display, any election sign on any property not owned or controlled by such person, unless authorized to do so by the owner or other person in control of such property. 4. Prohibited on public property - No person shall erect or display, or cause or authorize any person to affix, erect, display, place or post any political sign on any public property or utility pole or within a public right-of-way, on traffic signs, signals, or devices including directional signs, advisory signs, regulation signs and traffic-signalized intersections, or where signs may be obstructed from the driver's view. Election signs on public property may be removed without notice by members of the Police Department or the Department of Public Works. The Chief of Police or the Superintendent of Public Works, as the case may be, shall cause a list of election signs removed from public property to be filed with the City Clerk for public information. The City Clerk shall retain such lists for a period of thirty (30) days following the general election or until any litigation is concluded. 5. Traffic hazards - No political sign shall be placed in a manner that would obstruct visibility to pedestrian or vehicular traffic or which shall constitute a traffic hazard in the discretion of the Chief of Police or his subordinate officers.
Voting by Absentee Ballot The city’s website has more information on voting by absentee ballot, including links to absentee ballot applications at https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleabsentee/absidx.htm The requirements for absentee voting are provided in Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 54, Section 86. A voter may only vote by absentee ballot if the voter will be unable to vote at the polls on Election Day because of: 1. Absence from the City of Woburn during the hours the polls are open; or 2. Inability to cast a vote in person at the polling place because of physical disability; or 3. Religious beliefs which prevent the voter from casting a vote in person on Election Day. In order to receive an absentee ballot by mail, all voters must file an application in writing with the Office of the City Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. four business days before the election. In order to receive an absentee ballot to vote in person, all voters must file an application in writing with the Office of the City Clerk no later than 12:00 noon on the day before the election. An application can be delivered or mailed to the Office of the City Clerk or completed at the counter. Any form of written communication evidencing a desire to have an absent voting ballot be sent for use for voting at an election shall be given the same effect as an application made in the form prescribed by the State Secretary. A voter can complete their ballot at the Office of the City Clerk if they appear in person during regular business hours and file an application. Unless a voter appears in person at the Office of the City Clerk, the absentee ballot must be mailed to the voter. A ballot mailed to the voter can be returned by mail or delivered in person by the voter or a family member to the Office of the City Clerk. A family member must be a spouse or person residing in the same household, in-laws, father, mother, sister or brother of the whole or half blood, son, daughter, adopting parent or adopted child, stepparent or stepchild, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, grandparent or grandchild. If a family member delivers the ballot to the Office of the City Clerk, they will be asked to sign their name and relationship to the voter on the outer envelope at the time that the ballot is delivered to the Office of the City Clerk. A sheet of instructions is mailed to the voter with the absentee ballot. Careful attention should be paid to all of the requirements listed on the sheet. Failure to follow the requirements for absentee balloting established by State law can result in the ballot being rejected. Except for a voter confined to a health care facility on or after seven days before the election, no ballot may be taken from the Office of the City Clerk by any voter for any reason. All voting must be conducted over the counter in the Office of the City Clerk or a ballot will be sent to the voter by mail. Voting by absentee ballot is controlled by State law and provides criminal penalties including imprisonment and fines for violations. The laws have been established to prevent fraudulent voting. In addition, applications for absentee ballots are signed under the pains and penalties of perjury.
Municipal Election Finance Law As a candidate for municipal office in this election year, you are urged to become familiar with the requirements of the Campaign Finance Law. The “Campaign Finance Guide: Candidates for Municipal Office (Non-Depository)” prepared by the Office of Campaign and Political Finance provides answers to most campaign finance questions for all candidates, except for the office of Mayor. You will find the Guide at http://files.ocpf.us/pdf/guides/muni_candidate_2012.pdf Candidates for the office of Mayor must contact the Office of Campaign and Political Finance as all reports will be filed with that office, not the City Clerk. You will find more information at https://www.ocpf.us/Home/Publications The Campaign Finance Law is a comprehensive statute governing the financing of political campaigns in the Commonwealth. For example, the statute requires candidates to disclose all contributions and expenditures made in a campaign. It also provides limitations and restrictions on raising money for campaigns. If a candidate intends to form a campaign committee, a Statement of Organization must be filed with the Office of the City Clerk before any funds can be raised or spent on behalf of the candidate or committee. This office will email links to all candidates and incumbents, except for office of Mayor, for pre-preliminary, pre-election and year end campaign finance reports. The pre-preliminary report - for any candidate on a preliminary ballot only - is due on September 7, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. for all activity from January 1, 2021 through August 27, 2021. The pre-election report is due from all candidates on October 25, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. for all activity from August 28,2021 through October 15, 2021. The year-end report is due on January 20, 2022 at 4:30 p.m. for all activity from October 16, 2021 through December 31, 2021. The Guide, forms and other information, including a Campaign Finance Kit for municipal candidates, are available on the Office of Campaign and Political Finance website at http://www.ocpf.us/. The website also contains report software that can be downloaded at no charge and which can ease reporting responsibilities of the candidate. The Office of Campaign and Political Finance can be reached by telephone at (617) 979-8300 or (800) 462-OCPF. The office can be contacted by email at ocpf@cpf.state.ma.us.
Campaign Finance Disclosure in Municipal Elections
The Office of Campaign and Political Finance is the independent state agency that
administers Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 55, the campaign finance law. OCPF receives
disclosure reports from candidates for state and county office, as well as filings from political
action committees, ballot question committees and state and local party committees. OCPF also
receives reports from city council and alderman candidates in the state’s 13 largest cities, and
from all mayoral candidates.
All other municipal candidates and committees file their reports with their
respective city or town clerks or election commissions. OCPF works with these local officials
to ensure compliance with the campaign finance law, supplying disclosure forms and candidate
guides as well as providing guidance to officials, candidates and the public.
Filing Requirements
In towns, candidates and committees (including ballot question committees) file two
campaign finance reports, due eight days before and 30 days after the election.
In cities (and also in towns with November elections), three reports are usually filed,
due eight days before both the preliminary and final elections and on the following Jan. 20.
Candidates only file a pre-preliminary report if their names appear on the preliminary ballot. In
addition to the filing requirements noted above, all candidates, including all incumbent elected
officials, and all other active committees file year-end reports each Jan. 20.
Local candidates who fail to file campaign finance reports are subject to a $25 per day
fine levied by OCPF after referral by the city or town clerk or election commission.
Contributions
Statutory limits on the most common types of contributions are as follows (all limits
listed are for a calendar year):
o The maximum amount an individual may donate to a candidate is $1,000 per year.
There is no limit on how much a candidate may contribute or loan to his or her own campaign
for local office, but all such personal contributions must be recorded on a campaign
finance report.
o A candidate may contribute up to $100 per year in campaign funds to another
candidate.
o Contributions to candidates from corporations and other businesses are prohibited, as
are contributions from PACs or political committees that are not organized with OCPF or local
officials, such as federal PACs or those registered in another state.
o Individuals and corporations may contribute without limit to ballot question
committees.
The name and address of any contributor of over $50 in the aggregate per year must be
disclosed on a campaign finance report. Recipients of contributions must also ask for theoccupation and employer of those who give $200 or more in a calendar year, though a
contributor may decline to provide such information. Candidates and committees must maintain
detailed records of all contributions, including the name and address of contributors of any
amount.
Expenditures
Expenditures by all candidates and committees must comply with two legal standards:
o Expenditures must enhance the political future of the candidate or advance the
principles for which a committee was founded, such as the passage of a ballot question.
o Expenditures may not be primarily for the personal use of any person, including a
candidate.
Candidates and committees must maintain detailed records of all expenditures.
Expenditures of more than $50 must be itemized on a campaign finance report.
Ballot Question Committees
Committees organized to support or oppose a question on the ballot at a municipal
election, such as a Proposition 2½ override or debt exclusion, must organize with the local
election official prior to any financial activity. These committees file reports before and after the
election and dissolve after the final determination of the question. Ballot question committees
should not be confused with PACs, which are organized to support or oppose several candidates,
are subject to different contribution limits and are not required to dissolve after an election.
Public Outreach
OCPF staff members are available to conduct seminars for candidates and committees in
any city or town, as well as orientation sessions for new clerks or elections staff. For more
information, contact OCPF.
.
Clerks and election officials are encouraged to contact OCPF if they need any further
information on the campaign finance law and its application to campaigns and candidates. You
may also visit our website to download forms, guides and other information.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Office of Campaign and Political Finance
One Ashburton Place, Room 411
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 979-8300
www.ocpf.us / Twitter @OCPFreports / YouTube Channel: OCPFreports
5/2015ANNUAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION LIMITS
OFFICE OF CAMPAIGN AND POLITICAL FINANCE
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
TO: > > > > >
Candidate /
Candidate’s Political Action People’s Committee State Party Local Party Ballot Question
FROM: Committee Committee (PAC)1 2 Committee Committee Committee
Individual3 $1,00014 $500 $181 $5,0004 $5,0004 No limit
Lobbyist $200 $200 $181 $200 $200 No limit
Statewide
Candidate’s $1006, 7 No Limit6, 8 0 No Limit6 No Limit6 No Limit6
Committee5
County, legislative,
municipal or
other candidate / $1007 No limit8 0 No limit No limit No limit
candidate’s committee
Political Action
$5009 $500 0 $5,0004 $5,0004 No limit10
Committee (PAC)1
People’s Committee $500 $500 0 $5,0004 $5,0004 No limit10
State Party Committee $3,00011 $500 0 -- $5,0004 No limit10
Local Party Committee $1,00011 $500 0 $5,0004, 12 $5,0004, 12 No limit101 PACs: PACs must organize with OCPF under M.G.L. Chapter 55 before they may contribute to Massachusetts candidates or committees. Limits do not apply to Independent
Expenditure PACs. (Independent Expenditure PACs may not contribute to candidates or other political committees, except for other Independent Expenditure PACs or Ballot
Question Committees.) Please see OCPF’s interpretive bulletin concerning Independent Expenditure PACs, IB-10-03.
2 People’s Committee: After six months in existence, a PAC that has received contributions from individuals of $181 or less per year and contributed to five or more candidates
may
request a change in its status to that of a people’s committee. The maximum contribution from an individual to a people’s committee is adjusted biennially by OCPF. The figure is in
effect for 2020 and 2021.
3 Contributions by Individuals: Individuals under 18 years of age have an aggregate contribution limit of $25 per year. There is no limit on how much a candidate may contribute to
his or her own campaign, though the maximum amount that certain candidates may loan varies by the office sought. Contact OCPF for information concerning limits on loans from
state candidates to their own campaigns.
4 Contributions to Party Committees: The maximum annual aggregate contribution that may be made by an individual, lobbyist, PAC, people’s committee or party committee to all
committees of any one party, including those on the state and local level, is $5,000.
5 Statewide candidates include those running for or holding the office of governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, treasurer/receiver general, auditor and secretary of the
commonwealth.
6 Candidates Certified to Receive Public Funds: No candidate’s committee that receives public financing pursuant to M.G.L. c. 55C may make a contribution to another political
committee during the calendar year in which the candidate’s committee receives public financing, except that a committee that receives public financing may pay a political party
committee for goods or services provided by the political party committee to the candidate’s committee.
7 Contributions from a candidate’s personal funds to another candidate are subject to the $1,000 individual limit, not the $100 committee limit.
8 Contributions from candidates to PACs: A candidate is prohibited from “financing” a political action committee (Chapter 55, Section 5A). Please see OCPF’s advisory opinion,
AO-11-05.
9 Total PAC contributions: The aggregate annual amount a state or county candidate may accept from all PACs in a calendar year is limited by M.G.L. c.55, s.6A. For example, a
candidate for the Senate may not accept more than $18,750 in total PAC contributions and a candidate for the House may not accept more than $7,500. Candidates for municipal
office are not subject to any such annual aggregate restriction.
10 Contributions from a PAC, people’s committee or party committee to a ballot question committee are not subject to limitation but must be consistent with the principle for
which the contributing committee was organized.
11 Party contributions to candidates: This limit applies to monetary contributions only. There is no limit on in-kind contributions by a party committee to an individual candidate.
12 A local party committee may contribute up to an aggregate of $5,000 in a calendar year to all ward, town, city and state committees of the same political party.
13 Contributions among ballot question committees: A ballot question committee may contribute to another ballot question committee without limitation, provided such
contributions are “consistent with the purpose for which [the contributing committee] was organized.”
14 Individual contribution to candidates: An individual may contribute up to $1000 to a candidate seeking election to the office of state senator or state representative in a special
election, and an additional $1000 to the same candidate seeking election to the office of state senator or state representative in a general election hold during the same calendar
year.
Office of Campaign and Political Finance (617) 979-8300
One Ashburton Place, Room 411 website: www.ocpf.us Boston, MA 02108 e-mail: ocpf@cpf.state.ma.us
1/2018Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political
Finance Guide on Making Out-of-Pocket Expenditures
Local Filers
Are you spending personal funds on your campaign and you file locally with
your city or town election official?
Here’s how to disclose it on your campaign finance report
State and municipal candidates in the non-depository system can make campaign expenditures using their
personal funds. When doing so, they are required to disclose the expenditures and contributions on their
campaign finance reports. For all candidates who complete paper reports and file with their local election
officials, please follow these steps:
Step One: Report the amount spent as a contribution from the candidate to the campaign on Schedule A
(receipts), even though the money was paid directly to a vendor. If you anticipate being paid back by the
committee/campaign, write “loan” next to the candidate’s name.
Step Two: Record the amount as an expenditure, listing the actual vendor in the “To Whom Paid” column
on Schedule B (expenditures) with the date, purpose, address and amount. Listing the expenditure
balances the account.
Step Three: If a candidate anticipates being paid back by the campaign, the contribution information
should be listed in the liabilities section of the campaign finance report (Schedule D). Liabilities to a
candidate can remain for as long as the committee is open, and may be paid back or forgiven at a future
date.
Exception
If a candidate is reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenditures before the end of the campaign reporting
period, he or she should not follow the steps above. The campaign finance report would disclose the
activity as a reimbursement to the candidate with a corresponding reimbursement form (CPF R1).
www.ocpf.us / Twitter @OCPFReports / 617-979-8300You can also read
